The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Pick Yourself Up

The song of the day for Sunday, November 26, 2023, is “Pick Yourself Up.”

About This Song

“Pick Yourself Up” was written in 1936 by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields for the film Swing Time, where it was introduced by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. It was used in the early part of the film when Astaire pretends to not be able to dance and asks for Ginger Rogers as his dance instructor just so he can dance with her. This song has been widely recorded, including those by Nat King Cole, Anita O’Day, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and Diana Krall.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Pick Yourself Up” with The Bill Charlap Trio in 2015 for the album The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern. It was arranged by Bill Charlap.

“Pick Yourself Up,” as well as The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern, is available on Apple Music.

Here are Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing to “Pick Yourself Up” from Swing Time:

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: She’s Funny That Way

The song of the day for Saturday, November 25, 2023, is “She’s Funny That Way.”

About This Song

“She’s Funny That Way” was written in 1928 by Neil Moret and Richard Whiting. This charming song is sung from the point of view of the young lover who is kind of amazed that the woman he loves seems to love him, in spite of his faults.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “She’s Funny That Way” on January 18, 1967, for the album Tony Makes It Happen! Marion Evans wrote arrangement and conducted the orchestra.

“She’s Funny That Way,” as well as Tony Makes It Happen!, is available on Apple Music.

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: We’ll Be Together Again

The song of the day for Friday, November 23, 2023, is “We’ll Be Together Again.”

About This Song

“We’ll Be Together Again” was written by Carl T. Fischer in 1945, Frankie Laine’s pianist and musical director. Fischer asked Laine to write the lyrics, which he did quite nicely. In addition to the recording by Tony Bennett and Bill Evans, this song has been recorded by Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, and Frankie Laine.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Bill Evans recorded “We’ll Be Together Again” in June 1975 for The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album.

“We’ll Be Together Again,” as well as The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album, is available on Apple Music.

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Where Do You Start

The song of the day for Thursday, November 23, 2023, is “Where Do You Start.”

About Today

We are happy to celebrate the late Johnny Mandel, who was born on November 23, 1925, and died on June 29, 2020. Mandel was a composer of popular songs, film music, and jazz. He frequently collaborated with Tony Bennett, most memorably on the 1966 The Movie Song Album. He also wrote the theme song for the film (and later television show) M*A*S*H*, “Suicide is Painless.”

About This Song

“Where Do You Start” was composed by Johnny Mandel, with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman in 1987. The song has had many beautiful recordings: Nancy Lamott, Shirley Horn, Rosemary Clooney, Barbra Streisand, the Brad Mehldau Trio, Annie Ross, and Tony Bennett.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Where Do You Start” in 2004 for his album The Art of Romance. (An aside here: whenever I’ve introduced someone to Tony Bennett, I start by giving them this album. It creates a new fan each time.). Johnny Mandel wrote the arrangement.

“Where Do You Start,” as well as The Art of Romance, is available on Apple Music.

By Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Skylark

The song of the day for Wednesday, November 22, 2003, is “Skylark.”

About Today

We are celebrating songwriter Hoagy Carmichael on the anniversary of his birth on November 22, 1899, in Bloomington, Indiana. Carmichael composed several hundred songs, including 50 that achieved hit record status. He is best known for composing four of the most-recorded American songs of all time: “Stardust” (lyrics by Mitchell Parish), “Georgia on My Mind” (lyrics by Stuart Gorrell), “The Nearness of You” (lyrics by Ned Washington), and “Heart and Soul” (lyrics by Frank Loesser). He also collaborated with lyricist Johnny Mercer on “Lazybones” and “Skylark”. Carmichael’s “Ole Buttermilk Sky” was an Academy Award nominee in 1946, from Canyon Passage, in which he co-starred as a musician riding a mule. “In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening”, with lyrics by Mercer, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1951.

About This Song

“Skylark” was written in 1941 by Hoagy Carmichael, with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. Mercer is said to have worked on the lyrics for “Skylark” over a year. He also wrote the lyrics to express his feelings for Judy Garland, with whom he had been involved. Whether true or not, the song and the lyrics are outstanding and easily became a jazz and popular standard.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Skylark” on October 28, 1959, for the album Tony Sings For Two, which Bennett made with Ralph Sharon and no other musicians. “Skylark” was not included in the original LP release of the album, but was added to the 1995 CD re-release.

“Skylark,” as well as Tony Sings For Two, is available on Apple Music.

Subscribe to The Year of Tony Bennett

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Current Reader Favorites